Missouri
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (11/05/2026) — Grace Slaughter poured in a game-high 23 points and Missouri's offense found its rhythm after a tight opening quarter, as the Missouri Tigers pulled away from the Little Rock Trojans for a commanding 73-50 road victory at the Jack Stephens Center on Thursday night.
How It Happened
The game opened as a genuine battle. Little Rock came out aggressive, and the first quarter featured six lead changes and three ties as neither team could establish separation. The Trojans seized their first lead when Brenna Burk converted a layup off a Mya Cotto assist to put Little Rock up 5-4 at the 8:36 mark. Missouri answered through Khloe Ford's tip-in at 7:37, only for Senoj Jones to respond immediately with her own tip-in to give Little Rock a 7-6 edge.
Talia Kemp was the catalyst for the Trojans in the opening frame, knocking down a 14-foot pullup jumper to push Little Rock ahead 9-8, then capping the quarter with a driving layup to forge a 13-13 deadlock heading into the second period.
That's where Missouri took over.
McKenzie Mathurin opened the second quarter with a 25-foot three-pointer, assisted by Natalya Hodge, to give Missouri its first meaningful cushion at 16-13. The Tigers never looked back. Hodge — who would finish with 15 points — drained a Tanyuel Welch-assisted three-pointer at the 7:37 mark to extend the advantage to 24-15, part of a dominant stretch that saw Missouri outscore Little Rock by double digits over a critical four-minute span. Ford added a tip-in with under a minute remaining in the half to send the Tigers into the locker room ahead 35-26.
Missouri's second-half execution was methodical. Welch converted a Slaughter-assisted layup 39 seconds into the third quarter to push the lead to 37-26. Slaughter then knocked down a 26-foot three-pointer at 7:43 — assisted by Welch — to stretch it to 40-30. Hodge buried another deep three at the 5:50 mark, and by the time Lidia Belmonte Hurtado hit a 24-footer off an Aaliyah Taylor assist with 33 seconds left in the third, Missouri held a commanding 60-44 lead.
The fourth quarter was a formality. Nevaeh Caffey's 13-foot pullup jumper pushed the Tigers to 62-44 early in the final period, and Hodge closed the scoring with a 26-foot three-pointer off a Cecilie Brandimore assist with 42 seconds remaining, capping the 73-50 final.
Turning Point
The decisive sequence came in the second quarter, when Missouri converted back-to-back three-pointers by Mathurin and Hodge — transforming a 13-13 tie into a 24-15 Missouri advantage in under two minutes of game time. Little Rock, which shot just 9% from three-point range on the night, could not match Missouri's perimeter production, and that gap defined the contest. The Tigers finished at 44% from the field compared to 30% for the Trojans, controlling the glass 48-39 and holding Little Rock to just four assists on the night.
Star of the Game
Grace Slaughter was the driving force for Missouri, finishing with 23 points and seven rebounds. She opened the scoring with a driving layup 12 seconds into the contest and remained active throughout — her floating nine-foot jumper at 6:40 of the first quarter kept the Tigers even during Little Rock's early surge, and her third-quarter three-pointer was part of the decisive run that put the game away. Slaughter also added two assists, including the feed to Welch that opened the second half.
Natalya Hodge provided a critical complement, finishing with 15 points and five rebounds on three made three-pointers. Ford contributed eight points and seven rebounds, and Mathurin chipped in eight points including the momentum-shifting three to open the second quarter.
For Little Rock, Kemp led all Trojans with 11 points, while Neso Anisiobi and Senoj Jones each added 10 points. Anisiobi grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Trojans on the glass.
What It Means
The road win gives Missouri a confident early-season result, with Slaughter and Hodge establishing themselves as a potent one-two scoring combination. The Tigers' ability to weather an early 13-13 tie and respond with sustained second-quarter execution speaks to their composure away from home.
For Little Rock, the Trojans showed competitive spirit in the first quarter and received balanced contributions — three players reached double figures — but the gap in three-point shooting and rebounding will be an area to address as the Trojans move deeper into their schedule.
